Katelyn McKibben, R.N., has always been passionate about taking care of others. At age 16, she became an emergency medical technician (EMT), where she developed her skills and discovered a lifelong passion that led her to nursing school. During that time, she fell in love with Eric Kline, a 1st Lieutenant in the Army National Guard. Eric was deployed to Afghanistan shortly thereafter, but when he returned in 2010, his disposition had changed considerably. A few weeks later, he took his own life.
Katelyn continued her nursing education and found much needed comfort in the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)—an organization that provides care and grief support programs for military survivors. Katelyn became a peer counselor at TAPS to help others in similar situations find healing and hope. Today, Katelyn is a nurse at the Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Pennsylvania. “Caring for Veterans has given me a purpose. This career allows me to honor 1st lieutenant Eric Kline every single day. What my patients don’t know is that while I am helping them heal, they have done so much more to help me heal,” she says.
Ready for a rewarding career with purpose? Join VA and you, too, will experience the unique satisfaction and joy that comes with serving our nation’s heroes. To get started, search for opportunities near you and apply today.
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